Variable ratio transmission



9, 1949. D. HEYER 2,478,870

7 VARIABLE RATIO TRANSMISSION Filed April 7, 1944 Q 4 sneets-shet 1 Snoentor:

5 4 F I 1 DON HEYER;

Gttomeg D. HEYER 2,478,870

VARIABLE RAT IO TRANSMISS ION Aug. 9, 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 7, 1944 v z fi I J I z L I I I 363 lmaentor.

Dow HEYER,

Qttorneg.

. 9, 1949. D. HEYER- 2,478,870

VARIABLE RATIO TRANSMISSION Filed April 7, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Zmventor:

DON HEYER,

attorney- Aug. 9, 1949. D. HEYER VARIABLE RATIO TRANSMISSION Filed April 7, 1944 4 SheetsSheet 4 a 8 1/ 45 2 W 7 5 B 82 m a3 &% 7 2 7 3 "MM 4 1 I? m Q J x 9 M 8 0 w 4% B7 1 8 a m 9 u w .i n 6 m jl Mr ill ll I H m 8 u t u w\ 1 m I u w ,0 W

Z'snnentor: Do N H EYE R (Ittorneg Patented A g- ,1 2,478,870

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VARIABLE RATIO TRANSMISSION Don Heyer, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to International Powermatic Corporation, Los Angeles, Ca

Application April 7, 1944, Serial No. szaazs 7 Claims. (Cl. 74-230.") 1

This invention relates to a variable ratio transtages, and has other objects which may be made mission. more easily apparent from a consideration of one It is an object of this invention to improve in embodiment of the invention. For this purpose general the construction and arrangement of there is shown a form in the drawings accomsuch transmissions. panying and forming part of the present speci- It is another object of this invention to provide fication. This form will now be described in deimproved mechanism for adjusting the ratio of tail, illustrating the general principles of the such transmissions. invention: but it is to be understood that this de- It is another object of this invention to provide tailed description is not o be k n n a limi n a variable ratio transmission wherein the eifective .10 sense, since the scope of the invention is best dediameters of the cooperating pulleys are simullined by the appended claims.

taneously varied in opposite senses, with improved In the drawings: control mechanism for adjusting the effective pul- Fi ur 1 is a v i l ec i n throu h a variable ley diameters, speed power unit incorporating the invention;

It is another object of this invention to provide F ure 2 is atop plan view thereof; a variable ratio transmission, and particularly Fi ur 3 s a transverse section of an enlarged one in which the effective diameter of both the scale, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1; driving t load driving elements of t e Figures 4 and 5 are cross sections on a further transmission are formed asunits for ready asenlarged seflie. taken on rr n y msembly on a supporting frame to constitute a combered lines of Figure n plete transmission for ready disassembly for re- Figure 6 is a V l ion taken on line 8-8 pair or replacement. of Figure 4. I

It is another object of this invention to provide As Shown n F r 1, the pow r ni c mpri s a variable ratio transmission adapted to utilize a frame I rotatabiy supporting a load drivin a standard type of motor to form an adiustable 26 2 as Well as mounting an electric mo r 3 speed power it it t modification of t which drives the shaft 2 by means of the variable motor or the provision of special parts therein. ratio transmission 4. m n 5 ncl din a man- It is another object of this invention to'provide a ly Operable lever being pr v e for Varying adjusting mechanism for a variable di t the transmission ratio. The transmission I is pulley structure wherein need of accurate align- 30 s wn as mpr a P r Of adjustable diemment between such mechanism and the pulley is r P l y ruc r s 6 and 'l operatively conbvi t nected by a belt 8 and respectively on the motor It is another object of this invention to proshaft and load driving shaft 2. Furthermore, to vide a spring pressed variable diameter pulley give a wide range to the sp r d c i n b twe n structure wherein the tension exerted by the the motor 3 and the shaft 2, a differential gear spring is maintained substantially constant for set 9 is interposed between the pulley I and drive all adjusted diameters of the pulley. shaft, and is operated by the motor 3 through a It is another object of this invention to provide supplemental belt Ill. a wide range variable ratio transmission includ- Referring in detail to the mechanism, driving ing differential gearing wherein the driven load 40 P ley r ur 6 comprises an i y fi d may be optionally driven from either side of the pulley section I: and an axially movable pulley transmission. section i3, these pulley sections having opposed It is another object of this invention to provide oppositely inclined faces I4 and i5 for respeca wide range variable ratio transmission includtively engaging the edges of an edge-active or ing a gearing unit of improved form. V-belt 8. Pulley sections l2 and I3 are mounted It is another object of this invention to provide on a sleeve or shaft extension is which is dea wide range variable speed power unit of imtachably secured on the shaft I-a of the motor proved construction whereby a more compact I as by a key l9 and a set screw 20 passing unit is possible. through the hub l2-a of the pulley section l2.

It is another object of'this invention to provide In this manner. the pulley structure 6 as a unit a wide range variable ratio transmission includmay be mounted on, or removed from the motor ing a gearing unit wherein a novel 'pulley arshaft 3a. The pulley sections l2 and I3 are rangement is provided for operating the gearconstrained to rotate with the sleeve l8 by being ing. splined thereon, as by a long key 22. As is well This invention possesses many other advan understood in such pulley structures, the belt tension causes the belt to have a wedgin action which urges the pulley sections apart reducing the effective pulley diameter, and means gen-. eraily indicated by 2! are provided for opposing separation of the pulley sections. In this way the effective diameter of the pulley structure 3 is controlled. The axially fixed pulley section If has a cylindrical extension 23 provided with a V-groove 23-d, forming a fixed diameter pulley 23 for engaging the supplemental belt II. By forming the pulley 24 on the'pulley section I: in this manner, it is possible to position the belts 3 and it more closely than would be possible with separate pulley structures, thus reducing the axial length of the drive. Also, as clearly indicated in Figure 5, it is possible for the pulley 34 to partly overhang the motor I, further reducing such axial length.

Pulley structure 1 similarly comprises an axially fixed section and an axially adJustable section. In order to maintain the belt I in alignment as the pulley diameters are adjusted, the fixed section of the pulley structure 1 must engage the side of the belt I opposite to that engaged by the fixed section if of the pulley structure 6. Thus, section as of the pulley structure I is splined to rotate with the sleeve tl rotatably carried on the load driving shaft 2, as by a pair of long keys 32, and is axially fixed on sleeve II, as by a set screw 28. The sleeve 3| connects the pulley structure I with the load driving shaft 2 through the gearing 3 for providing a variation in speed between the pulley I and the shaft I as will be more fully explained presently. The sleeve 3| is substantially axially fixed with respect to the shaft 2, and is without effect as far as the pulley structure I is concerned. Means indicated by 33 are provided as before to determine the relative positions of the pulley sections.

A casing or frame 35 is provided for supporting and substantially enclosing the transmission and supporting the motor 3 to form a unitary structure. Thus, the frame 35 isprovided with a lower floor or shelf 36 having pads 3t--a for supporting the motor 3 by its usual base members 3-b. This manner of mounting is of considerable importance, since it permits the use of a stock motor of appropriate size without the necessity of any changes whatever in the motor construction. The load driving shaft 2 is supported above the motor 3 by anti-friction bearings 31 and 33 respectively adjacent the opposite ends of the shaft 2 appropriately mounted in plates or cover forming members II and 43 which are detachably secured to the casing 35 as by bolts II and 42 to close openings 43 and 43 at opposite ends of the casing 35. The opening it adjacent the control mechanism 33 is of such size as to permit free passage of the pulley structure I and the gear set 9. Thus, the cover 40, together with the shaft 2, pulley structure 'I' and the gearing 9, may be removed as a unit from the frame 35.

Th control means 25 and 33 are quite similar and respectively include adjusting members or cups l1 and u guided-for axial movement with respect to the associated pulley structure t or I as the case may be and suitably connected to the axially movable section of such pulley structure. Since such movable sections are on opposite sides of the belt 8, movement of both sections in the same direction serves to increase the effective diameter of one pulley structure and to decrease the efiecti've diameter of the other pulley structure, which is as required. Accorda 4 ingly, mechanism is provided for simultaneously moving the adjusting cups 4! and A3 in the same direction.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the adjusting cup 0 is shown as generally cylindrical and is slidably mounted in a suitable guide .43 formed integrally with cover 3| and extending into the casing 3'. Guide 0 is coaxial with the shaft 2, and is provided with a screw II (Figure 3) engaging an axially extending slot ll on the exterior of the cup II for restraining the cup 43 against rotation. A mandrel I2 is. slideably mounted on the sleeve 3| near one end thereof and is constrained to rotate therewith by the keys 33 passing through the sleeve. The keys 32 each have heads 32-4 on their corresponding ends, adapted to engage the outerend of the hub "-11 of the movable pulley section 30. The opposite ends of the keys 31 have similar heads 32-!) which engage the outer end of the mandrel If. The airrangement is such as to restrict movement of the pulley section II away from the mandrel II in response to the wedging action of the belt I between the sections fl and 30. Since the section 28 is axially fixed, the position of the mandrel 52 serves in this manner to determine the relative axial positions of pulley sections 23 and 30 and hence theeifective diameter or pulley structure I.

The adjusting cup 43 serves to position the mandrel It, being coupled thereto for this purpose by a thrust bearing II, the inner race It of which is secured on the mandrel If as by being clamped against a shoulder I2-a thereon by a nut II. The outer race ll of the bearing It is mounted within the cup ll, a snap ring serving to secure it againsta shoulder 43-0. A portion of the exterior of the cup has a rack ll formed thereon for engagement by a pinion 62 formed on an adjusting shaft 33 which extends transversely of the load driving shaft 2 and is rotatably supported in a. boss 64 formed integrally with the guide 43. As a means of sup porting the shaft 63 axially, a screw 05 is threaded through the boss I4 and engages a reduced portion it of the shaft 33. The-shaft 63 extends upwardly through a suitable bearing 01 on the upper part of the frame 35 and has an operating handle or-lever 68 secured thereon, suitable detent mechanism I being provided for releasably holding the lever I and parts operated thereby in adjusted position.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the lever II has a vertical slot "-41 in which a blade or detent member ll of thin resilient material such as spring steel is freely slideable, being urged downwardly as by a leaf springfil secured on the lever is as by screws II-a into engagement with the upwardly directed serrations or teeth 12-4 on a quadrant I2 secured to the exterior of the bear ing 81 as by being clamped thereabout.

Referring to Figures 3 and 5, theadjusting cup I is also cylindrical and is slideably mounted in the guide means 13 formed integrally with a cover or support member 14 and extending into the.

casing 35, member I4 being detachably secured to frame or casing N as by bolts 15, .The guide I! is substantially coaxial with the motor shaft 3--a and pulley structure I, a screw II being the cup 41 as by being confined between a shoulder '41-ain the cup and a retaining plate 83 attached to the cup 41 by screws 84. In this way the mandrel 18 is axially fixed but freely rotatable in the cup 41.

A compression spring 86 is provided for operatively connecting the mandrel 18 with the movable pulley section I 3, whereby the position of the adjusting cup 41 determines the relative axial positions of the pulley sections I2 and I3 and hence the effective diameter of pulley structure 8. The spring 86 is supported on a reduced portion 18--b of the mandrel 18 and hub I3-a of the pulley section I3 being confined between the shoulder 18-0 on the mandrel and. shoulder I3b on the pulley section I3.

The use of this spring has several important advantages. Thus, it permits substantial misalignment between the shaft 3a and the mandrel 18. This is quite necessary if stock motors are to be used, since the tolerances in such motors from supporting surface of the base or feet 3--b and the center of the shaft 3a are as great as /64 of an inch or possibly more. This would prohibit the use of a rigid connection between the adjusting cup 41 and the pulley section I3 without elaborate fitting and shimming, but by the use of a flexible connection no trouble is encountered.

Further, it is necessary to provide means resiliently urging at least one pair of pulley sections together to maintain the belt under suitable tension to take up belt wear, and particularly since there is a difference in the length of belt required at positions near optimum adjustment compared with positions of intermediate adjustment.

Due to the small movement required to tension the belt, as in the present structure, a spring of much less tension is required than in structures where a spring is relied upon to actually move the pulley section to the maximum diameter. As an example, where a structure of the latter type is used, a spring must have sufficient tension to supply the necessary force against the belt to properly tension it for not only the normal operating load, but, in addition, it must take care of overloads and starting conditions. It is conventional practice to rate drives of this nature when the driving pulley is at the maximum effective diameter. Therefore, a spring must have sufiicient force to start a full rated load, which in many cases exceeds 200% of normal full load. Then, when the drive is running at the minimum effective diameter or low speed on the driving pulley, the spring pressure will be greatly increased due to the compression of the spring by the separation of the pulley sections and in drives where the rate between the minimum and maximum diameters exceeds two to one, the pressure against the side walls of the belt becomes excessive and results in short belt life.

The cup 41 is provided with a rack 89 on its outer surface engaged by a pinion 90 formed on a shaft 9| rotatably supported in a boss 92 formed exteriorly of the guide 13. A threaded pin 93 is provided in the boss 92 which by engagement with a groove 94 in the shaft 9| axially supports the shaft. The parts are so proportioned that the shaft 9| is substantially in alignment with the shaft 83 and is coupled thereto by a sleeve 95. The sleeve 95 is arranged to fit over the ends of the shafts 63. and 9|, the upper end of the sleeve 95 having diametrical slots 96 engaging a. pin 91 in the shaft 63, the lower end of the sleeve 95 having similar slots 98 at right angles with the slots and engaged by a pin 99 carried by the shaft 9|. The sleeve permits a certain amount of misalignment between the shafts 63. and 9|, and greatly facilitates assembly and disassembly of the transmission. It is to be understood that operation of the control handle 88 simultaneously rotates the shafts 83 and 9| which causes 81- multaneous movements of the adjusting cups 41 and 48 with resulting simultaneous adjustment ,of the effective pulley diameters of the pulley structures Ii and 1.

Adequate lubrication of the sliding surfaces of the axially movable members, as adjusting cups 41 and 48 and pulley sections I3 and 30 is important, since these parts frequently remain in one adjusted position for long periods, and it is desirable that they be readily movable when it is desired to change the adjustment. Thus, each cup, 41 and 48, has a shallow circumferential grease groove I30, adapted to register with a radial port I3I in the housing 49 or 13, as the case may be, which is adapted to communicate with the outside of the casing 35 by a passage I32, the outer end of which is closed by an Alemite or similar pressure fitting I33.

The hub 30-a of thepulley section 30 is provided with an interior grease groove I35 for lubricating the surface of the hub 30-11 which slides on the sleeve 3|, an Alemite or similar fitting I38 permitting lubricant to be supplied to the groove I35. Hub I3a of the pulley section I3 is similarly providedwith a groove I38 for lubricating the surface of the hub I3-a which slides on the sleeve or shaft extension I8. Provisions are made for supplying lubricant to the groove I38 from the exterior of the casing 35. I"hus the sleeve I8 has a wall I8-a cooperating with the end of the shaft 3a to form a chamber I39 which communicates with the groove I 38 by one or more ports I40. A tube or ipe MI is threaded into the wall I8-a and extends through the mandrel 18 which has a through opening 18-11 to accommodate it to a point just within the cover 14. The tube I4I has an Alemite or other pressure fitting I42 at its outer end, a removable plug 14-a being provided in the cover 14 to permit access to the fitting. The plug "-11 may be removed at any time and a grease gun used to supply lubricant to the chamber I39, even though the transmission is in operation.

As mentioned previously a differential gear set is interposed between the load driving pulley 1 and the load driving shaft 2. This is necessary when a large reduction in speed between the prime mover or motor 3 and the load driving shaft is required. Furthermore, by appropriate choice of the gear ratio in such a gear set it is possible by adjustment of the speed ratio as determined by the variable diameter pulley structures 6 and 1 to bring the load driving shaft 2 to a stand still while the prime mover is operating at its normal speed or even to cause a reversal in the direction of rotation of the shaft 2.

Referring to Figures 4 and 6, the gear set 9 is shown as enclosed in a rotatable housing IOI', grooved at I02 for the reception of the belt I0. The housing IOI is provided with a removable cover I03 secured thereto as by screws I04, as well as with an inner wall I05 and is rotatably supported by anti-friction bearings I06 and I81. The

of this bearing being secured on the sleeve II, which extends through the bearing I'll into the housing I I. The sleeve 3| is rotatably supported on the shaft 2 by needle bearings HI and H3 adjacent its ends. A control gear HI is secured on the sleeve 3| within the housing ltl' as,by a key H8, and a driving gear H1 is secured on the shaft 2 adjacent the gear I II as by a key I II. The

provision of the sleeve II for carrying the pulley structural and the rotating element of its control member 33 as well as the control gear H5, makes it possible to extend the load driving shaft 2 entirely across the frame 3! and beyond each end thereof. This has the important advantage of making it possible to connect a load to either side of the transmission. The control gear Ill and the driving gear I ll are respectively engaged by pinions I II and m which are fixed on a shaft lit by a key I22. The shaft Iii is rotatably supported in the housing llll by needle bearings I23 and I24 adjacent its opposite ends and mounted respectively on the cover I" and the wall I". To make a balanced construction two or more such shafts I2 I are provided equiangularly spaced about the shaft 2.

The housing IOI is driven at a constant speed by the motor I causing the shafts III to revolve around the shaft 2. These shafts are also caused to rotate about their axes by the engagement of pinions Ill with the control gear Iii, which is rotated at a speed determined by the adjusted diameters of the pulley structures and I.

Pinions III are also rotated with the shafts l2! and the drive shaft 1 by their engagement with the driving gear I".

I claim:

1. In a variable speed power unit including a frame, a load driving shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a pulley structure operatively carried by said shaft, said unit being adapted to have a motor mounted on said frame, said motor having a shaft with a variable diameter pulley struc- 8 supported in said guide for movement substantially axially of said motor shaft, means for adjustably positioning said member, and resilient means coupling said member and said adjustable pulley section.

3. In a variable speed power unit including a frame, a load driving shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a pulley structure operatively carried by said shaft, said unit being adapted tohave a motor mounted on said frame, said motor having a shaft with a variable diameter pulley structure'mounted thereon for connection with the pulley structure on said load driving shaft by a I mounted on said frame independently of the ture mounted thereon for connection with the pulley structureon said load driving shaft by a belt, said variable diameter pulley structure including a pulley section fixed on said shaft against axial movement and a pulley section relatively axially adjustable with respect thereto, said pulley sections having opposed oppositely inclined belt engaging faces forming by relative axial adjustment variable eflective pulley diameters, a member for adjusting said pulley section, means on said frame independent of the motor movably,

supporting said member, and means adapted to form a flexible connection between said member and said adjustable pulley section and urging said section to move independently of the member.

2. In a variable speed power unit including a frame, a load driving shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a pulley structure operatively carried by said shaft, said unit being adapted to have a motor mounted on said frame, said motor having a shaft with a variable diameter pulley structure mounted thereon for connection with'the pulley motor slidably supporting said member for movement substantially axially of said motor shaft, a mandrel rotatably carried by said member substantially coaxial of said shaft and fixed against axial movement in such member. means for adjustably positioning said member, and flexible means transmitting force between said mandrel and said adjustable pulley section.

4. In a variable ratio transmission including a pair of spaced parallel shafts, pulley structures respectively on said shafts operatively connected by a belt, each of said pulley structures including an axially fixed pulley section and a relatively axially movable pulley section, said pulley sections having opposed oppositely inclined belt engaging faces forming by relative axial adjustment variable effective pulley diameters, and means for simultaneously adjusting the movable pulley section of each pulley structure to cause an increase in the effective diameter of one of said structures and corresponding decrease in the effective diameterof the other ,of said structures, comprising adjusting members supported respectively for axial movement with respect to each of said pulley structures, guide means respectively for said adjusting members, a rotatable element extending through both of said guide means transversely to the axes of said shafts, interengaging means respectively on said element and at least one of its associated guide means normally restraining movement of said element in said guide in the direction of the axis of said element, and optionally operable to release said element for movement-in the guide in the direction of said axis, means forming an operative connection between said element and each of said members whereby rotation of said element causes axial movement of said members, and means for rotat ing said rotatable element. I

5. In a variable ratio transmission including a pair of spaced parallelshafts, pulley structures respectively On said shafts operatively connected by a belt, each of said pulley structures including an axially fixed pulley section and relatively axially movable pulley section. said pulley sections having opposed oppositely inclined belt engaging faces forming by relative axial adjustment variable effective pulley diameters, and means for simultaneousl adjusting the movable pulley section of each pulley structure to cause an increase diameter of the other of said structures, comprising adjusting members supported respectively for axial movement with respect to each of said pulley structures, guide means respectively for said adjustingmembers, an element rotatably mounted.

in each of said guide means and extending transversely of the direction of movement oi the member carried by said guide means, interengaging means respectively on each,of said elements and said guides normally restraining movement of said elements in their respective guides in the direction of the axes of said elements; and optionally operable to release said elements for movementin the guides in the direction of said axes, means'operatively connecting each of said elements and the respective member whereby rotation of said elements causes axial movement of the associated members, but permitting free movement of said element with respect to said member in the direction of the axis of the element, means for rotating ,one of said elements, and means connecting said elements for simultaneous rotation, said means being optionally detachable from said elements to facilitate movement of said elements in the direction of their axes in the guides.

6. In a variable ratio transmission, a driving shaft and a load driving shaft, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said load driving shaft, pulley structures respectively in driving relation to said driving shaft and said sleeve, and operatively connected by a belt, the pulley structure on said sleeve including a pair of relatively axially adjustable pulley sections with opposed oppositely inclined belt engaging faces forming by relative axial adjustment variable effective pulley diameters, means connecting said sleeve and said shalt in driving relation, a control element mounted on said sleeve, means securing said element to said sleeve for rotation therewith but permitting axial movement 01 the element on said sleeve for adjusting said pulley sections, and means forming a connection between one of said pulley sections and said element.

7. In a variable diameter pulley structure, said pulley structure including a pair of relatively axially adjustable pulley sections with opposed oppositely inclined belt engaging faces, forming 10 by relative axial adjustment variable efiective pulley diameters, a rotatable element upon which said sections are mounted, means preventing relative rotation between said element and said sections, at least one of said sections having a surface slideably engaging a surface on said element, whereby said section is axially slideable on said element to adjust the pulley diameter, an adjusting member supported for movement axially of the pulley structure, a tubular mandrel rotatably carried by said member, means operatively connecting said mandrel and said one pulley section to move together, there being a passage in said element to pass lubricant to said surfaces, said element having an extension extending through said mandrel and forming a continuation of said passage accessible from the outside of said adjusting member.

" DON HEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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